scrubbedexpat141

Afternoon all.

I'm killing time before I have to do lots with America later this afternoon / evening and looking at lots of different shares.

Annoyed I've missed a huge jump in Anglo American but the old man and I were too scared to risk on them.

Got a feeling things are going to slide further this year, especially for the financial institutions.

But curious to see who else on here holds shares / invests / pays attention / is interested in this?

In terms of positions, i'm small fry. I have BP, Lloyds, RBS and Barclays.

Eyeing up Vodafone and more Barclays.

Millhouse

I pay lots of attention to it. Not a fan of buying individual stocks though - always do the indexes or pooled investments really.

I have leveraged funds in Europe and US - all doing pretty shitty. I also have large leveraged short positions on similar indexes doing well. The plan is to stay in the game and close them as senisble.

scrubbedexpat141

I had a look at funds but lots seemed to be privately run and had to invest with them directly rather than picking and choosing when you buy in / out. Must read more on them.

Millhouse

correct. you'll get hammered on entry / exit.

This is why I like CFDs for the short-term trades. All the benefits of shares, very thin spreads, no charges, practically free leverage and no tax. They are not for the faint-hearted though.

scrubbedexpat141

I'm completely faint hearted.

I want to have money doing something rather than nothing for the next year or two until I need the cash.

Some nice big earners along the way would be super, but if I can get 10% year on year, I'll be over the moon.

Millhouse

10% a year and you could charge others to be their fund manager.

csdf

Consider index ETFs - traded like shares, low cost like funds.

scrubbedexpat141

It's ambitious but I don't see why not.

Bahtatboy

Because the fund managers can't achieve it consistently.

There was an interesting programme I saw part of last year in the UK, about a day-trader who consistently made good money, enough to have a big ****-off house somewhere nice, Porche, all the trimmings and enough time to do some serious body-building (the programme was shot while he was preparing for a cover shoot for Men's Health or a similar mag). His secrets weren't revealed, but he had clearly been making far more than 10% a year -- I think eventually he was enticed to be a fund manager, which catapulted his own earnings into mega-drive.

I just wonder how repeatable it is. I often get approached by companies trying to sell this or that system, but if the system's actually any good why the hell are they selling it?

My individual stocks are generally shit at the moment, but most (of about 8) funds are in positive territory; at some point fairly soon I'm going to move everything into funds, with maybe something left over for riskier activities.

Irishbeekeeper

I am sorry but my views on this stock buying and selling thing are very old fashioned.
Its the whole idea of making money while piggy backing one someone else's success or betting on someone to loose money so you can make money, it doesnt sound like cricket to me. If I have some money, I would rather try and make something off it myself (which I have been doing since the past 15 years now) so the win is mine as well as the loss, you know?
Wouldnt it be more fun to physically buy something with your extra money and then try and sell it at a profit?
Like a flat, or a car or some item off the web - depending on how much you want to invest
Why invest in a financial juggernaut which is all based on digital promises and digital hand shakes? The same juggernaut which is responsible for a LOT of peoples woes right now, the same people who believed in this whole institution of stock trading etc? I mean to be honest if everyone just went in and asked for their money back right now, what will happen? I am pretty sure a financial collapse because they dont HAVE that money in their hands right now do they? its all digital. and THAT is what I have a problem with. Everything up in the air and balanced on nervous smiles and sleepless nights. Bleah I need a vacation, with no one around to talk to me for a week
Anyway, like I said, thats just my opinion and I know its not what most people think of as the way to invest their money.

Bahtatboy

But that misses the entire point. Companies want and need people to buy their shares -- that's why they offer them for sale in the first place. It's commerce.

Millhouse

To be fair, they only need the shareholder once. After that, they are a pain in the ass.

Millhouse

have a read up on FIAT money.

scrubbedexpat141

Well, being ambitious is what it's all about.

Before the huge dip end of last year / start of this, I was sitting on 80-90% profit rate. Over 6-7 years at the crudest calculation that's 11-14% ish (divided by years, not year on year). NOw, with the BP losses (but subsequent reinvestment to lower the cost average) and the Bank profits (of my shares) sliding I'm at 39% across them all.

So maybe 10% is a bit ambitious.
Maybe a little too throwaway and hopeful from me.

If I can get 5% this year (ignoring where it all stands, just on current value of entire portfolio today vs December) then I'll be pretty pleased.

Currently having a good look at Vodafone. Got a trade set if they dip below 200.

Bahtatboy

Fair enough. I'm intending to use some ISA cash for ISA peer-to-peer lending from this April.